Do you often have a common headache that makes you sick to your stomach or sensitive to light and noise? Does the pain get so severe that you miss work days or time with your family and friends? If so, you may have a headache, and you may not know it. You are not alone. "Migraine pain can occur on one or both sides of your head, but what people may not know is that migraine may be associated with a runny nose, sinus or face and pain and depression, and neck pain," said Dr. Lisa Man nix from Head Participants in Cincinnati, Ohio. “Because patients are less likely to associate these additional symptoms with migraine, many people may be misdiagnosed. Misdiagnosis only delays pain relief and can lead to unnecessary tests, medications and sometimes even surgery. ” Michelle's Misdiagnosis Michelle Draveski, a stay-at-home mom, suffered from a migraine attack one day before she was properly diagnosed. When she first went to her doctor, she was told that she had “hormonal headaches” and that the painkillers available in stores should work. But even though he drank more than the recommended dose, the pain did not go away. "I remember my worst attack as it was yesterday," Draveski said. “My oldest son was eight months old and I had the worst headache of my life. I had a terrible stomach ache. All I could do was lie down in the cold bathroom and put the blankets on the windowsill to keep out the light. At that moment my son woke up from his sleep. I tried to take care of her, but I couldn't. I finally called my grandmother to help me with my son, but he eventually took me to the emergency room. ” Shortly afterwards, Michelle saw a new doctor who diagnosed her with migraines and prescribed a specific migraine medication, Imitrex® (sumatriptan succinate) Tablets. Today, Michelle is always on medication so that if she has a headache, she can take it when she starts to feel pain and move on with her life. Dawn's Near Miss Many migraine sufferers feel like they missed out on life because of their condition. In fact, many are concerned that migraine will disrupt the main day of their lives. That is how Dawn Michelson felt when a debilitating illness almost caused her to miss out on her only son's marriage. "It was a special day and I was happy to celebrate with our new family," Michelson said. "But all the stress of walking, insomnia and a glass of red wine caused a painful migraine attack. I took my Imitrex as soon as possible and waited for the pain to subside." Dawn finally started to feel better and was able to get back to celebrating her son’s special day.
He added, "I truly believe that if it were not for my medication, I would have missed the whole day." You Can Do Something With It More than 28 million Americans suffer from migraines and nearly half of those people are undiagnosed. Women make up the largest number of migraine sufferers. Studies show that migraines affect women three times more often than men. Left untreated, migraines can have a profound effect on a person's health, often making it difficult to keep up with his or her daily activities. If you suffer from frequent headaches, there are some simple steps you can take to get the help you need. The first step is to become aware of your symptoms, so that you can report them to your doctor. This is important because the symptoms can vary from person to person and can be aggressive. People who are unable to clearly report their symptoms are more likely to get a proper diagnosis. Also, there are tools available to help you know what kind of information you can share with your doctor. One of these tools is head quizzes, available at www.headachequiz.com. On the website, take questions and talk to your doctor about the results. Getting the right diagnosis can mean getting the right treatment plan. About Imitrex If the diagnosis is migraine, then specific medical migraine medications, such as Imitrex, are available for the effective treatment of migraine attacks with or without aura. Imitrex was the first drug in a class of drugs called trip tans to get U.S. approval. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the effective treatment of migraine in adults. Imitrex provides relief from migraine pain and associated symptoms, without sleep, in many patients. Patients should not take Imitrex if they have some form of heart disease, a history of stroke or TIAs, peripheral vascular disease, Raynaud syndrome, or uncontrolled blood pressure. Patients at risk for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or smoking, should be evaluated by a physician before taking Imitrex. Rarely, some people, even some who do not have heart disease, have serious heart problems. Patients who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medication should talk to their doctor.
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